Russian Science Fiction, Revisited
Armageddon Buffet loves Soviet-era science fiction. It’s so dark, so dreary, so Armageddon-like. Like much of Western science fiction of the era, the Strugatsky brothers captured the “doomsday” spirit of the End Times with their fiction, and even anticipated Chernobyl.
Here’s one Strugatsky story our editor published: A Beetle in an Anthill.
And our editor, Stephen Potts, wrote the book about the Strugatsky brothers!
It’s the Stupid Economy
Wall Street sign on Wall Street (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It’s been four years since the last economic dominos fell, and the Dow has just barely returned to pre-collapse levels – though since Congress or Wall Street never enacted reforms to prevent a re-occurrence we are guaranteed a repeat of the bust-and-boom times. This editorial, written in 2008, analyzed what happened and why. Think of it when you vote for the next set of Insane Clowns.
Wonder Woman, Hungry
Last night we met the chunky Betty (Mad Men); today we have a plump Wonder Woman to contend with as Armageddon Buffet reprints Alan Wade’s funny story.
Operation Rupture
This is one of the rare editorials not written by Editor Stephen Potts. Instead it’s written by Noam Daguerre – the better to ensure he won’t be fired for writing it!
Back on the Home Front
As one of our favorite chroniclers of the Apocalypse, Juventino Manzano never fails to impress. In this story, “Back on the Home Front,” we meet two warriors – Mad Masturbator and Slave Trader – who for some reason remind us of the Horsemen.
Faith-Based vs. Reality-Based America
~ Bailout ~ Bubbles ~ Burst ~ (Photo credit: eyewash)
In 2012, the battlegrounds are ending contraception, killing skittles-wielding teens, starting a War in Iran, and preventing gay marriage. In 2004 they were electing conservative judges, maintaining our “bubble” economy, ignoring our quagmire in Iraq, and keeping “gay” criminal. Proudly declared by then-President George W. Bush, the war between “Faith-Based vs. Reality-Based America” is still being waged with new generals and the same-old “troops we have.” Already it’s lasted longer the Civil War I. Which side will win?
War. Huh. What is it good for?
Русский: Воины Апокалипсиса English: Four Horsemen of Apocalypse, by Viktor Vasnetsov. Painted in 1887. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ever wonder why the U.S. and other countries are determined to keep fighting wars against imaginary enemies? Ask George Zimmerman. Or Jared Loughner. They are two of the “horsemen” who ride their trusty steeds (F.E.A.R.* for Zimmerman; paranoia for Loughner) into any and all situations of perceived threat.
But Loughner and Zimmerman are men, human manifestations of the desire to unleash War, Conquest, Famine**, and Death – the official Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Will the world ride these four into war against Iran – another terrorist “threat” designed to exploit our human tendency toward experiencing F.E.A.R. and paranoia?
Already several nations are amassing the “evidence” – faked or mis-captioned photos, assertions from ginned-up “experts” – they need to justify the decision to bomb Iran to rubble.
* F.E.A.R.: False Evidence Appearing Real.
** Who knew the Famine they would unleash be would be a dearth of oil?
Get Conned
If you are anywhere in San Diego in early March, please attend ConDor XIX, the “Apocalypse” Con! We will be there all Rapture-Ready!
Armageddon Buffet 